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SteveH · 03-06-2008, 05:47 AM

This thread got me interested in the Air Safe hitch, so I checked into it, and e-mailed the company for info and a price. They got back to me in a couple of days, and to add the Air Safe to my existing hitch is within a few bucks of $1000 delivered. Haven't used one, so I can't say how well they work....seems like a very good idea, all except the additional 13" of space between the tow verhicle and the trailer, and that 1000 bucks!

About the 13"...that is an additional 13" of distance to the hitch ball, which seems to me would amplify any tendency for sway. I'd like to hear from some users of the Air Safe on this issue.

HiHoAgRV · 03-06-2008, 07:32 AM

Artstream uses one, try PM'ing him. I'm sure he'll post an opinion here. Other threads have been posted

BillTex · 03-06-2008, 08:00 AM

Be aware that any hitch add-ons, extensions, etc do compromise the rated capacity of your hitch, and I would be very leery of that 13”???
Just something to keep in mind…

I still am not sure how this will make your truck ride better?

Bill

SteveH · 03-06-2008, 02:55 PM

I've watched the videos on their website, and understanding the improved ride is easy. However, the additional 13" worries me. The farther the hitch ball is mounted from the rear axle of the tow vehicle, the easier it is for the trailer to wag the tow vehicle....gives it more leverage.

Tinsel Loaf · 03-06-2008, 09:45 PM

No extra sway except going over eighty MPH, down hill on a curve sloped the wrong way with a strong side wind and slamming on the brakes when the little old lady in front of you don't want you to pass. I have the commercial air ride and the extra 13 inches allows for you to backup and not worry about hiitting your tow vechicle. Check out my thread with pics. Keep it clean, lubed and check for loose bolts and nuts once in a while and the air in the bag. Your going to love the ride.

Jaxon · 03-07-2008, 05:29 AM

Oh great...

we have an equilizer hitch and are happy with that. But have been thinking about a Hensley for more control... now comes this one... the Airsafe hitch sounds interesting (of course, that's what marketing is for) but the comments from owners sound pretty satisfied, too.

Hey Michael, you out there? How's your hitch been?

marta5 · 03-07-2008, 06:33 AM

Thanks to all for their input!

We ended up exchanging the L-shaped shank for one that extends directly out of the receiver, in order to achieve the correct height.

We also received some help adjusting the chains on the cams.

Our ride home was much better!

Airstreamer67 · 03-07-2008, 12:51 PM

I use friction sway bars with my AirSafe hitch. Sometimes I can feel 18-wheelers pass by me, but when I do, it's only a very gentle tug, like it was before I added the AirSafe. I plowed through up-to-40mph side-wind gusts last week in Texas, and no sway problems whatsoever even when entering and leaving steep cliffs on the roadsides. I am towing a 6000 pound trailer with an F250, so that's got to help. But my heavily sprung truck also used to put a lot of wear-and-tear on the trailer, which the AirSafe hitch now takes care of via 50 pounds of air pressure cushion in the Firestone air springs.

BillTex · 03-07-2008, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airstreamer67

But my heavily sprung truck also used to put a lot of wear-and-tear on the trailer, which the AirSafe hitch now takes care of via 50 pounds of air pressure cushion in the Firestone air springs.

AS67, I am curious; how do you know that?
Is there something wrong with the AS suspension or axle that you would need that extra cushion?
I am trying to understand the science behind this...data please?

Thanx, Bill

Airstreamer67 · 03-08-2008, 05:35 AM

Well, I used to experience some popped rivets in the same places before the air hitch. No more of that, and the interior objects don't move around as much anymore either. Plus, with the airhitch I can see the trailer moving up and down on its own in my rear view mirror, independent of the F250. With a solid hitchup, it wouldn't do that, as it just took whatever my F250's harsh suspension was delivering to it pothole-after-pothole. Also, while parked, I can push down on the trailer's front jack and see the trailer move up and down on the airbag, while the F250 doesn't move. This is enough to convince me it is reducing the roadshock to the trailer.

BillTex · 03-08-2008, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airstreamer67

Well, I used to experience some popped rivets in the same places before the air hitch. No more of that, and the interior objects don't move around as much anymore either. Plus, with the airhitch I can see the trailer moving up and down on its own in my rear view mirror, independent of the F250. With a solid hitchup, it wouldn't do that, as it just took whatever my F250's harsh suspension was delivering to it pothole-after-pothole. Also, while parked, I can push down on the trailer's front jack and see the trailer move up and down on the airbag, while the F250 doesn't move. This is enough to convince me it is reducing the roadshock to the trailer.

Interesting...
Is your WD set the same as it was? Maybe I missed it; what type of hitch do you use?

Where were you popping rivets?

Do you pack in the same manner as you previously did inside?

Does all that moving up/down make for spongy/porpoise type of handling?

Is your AS axle/suspension all up to par?

I am trying to understand why this hitch is necassary...it is intriguing.

Thanx, Bill

Airstreamer67 · 03-09-2008, 09:44 AM

BillTex,

The rivets I was popping were around the entrance door area. I also was expeiencing some inner-skin tearing on both sides of the upper support bracing on the ceiling between the kitchen and the mid twin-bed areas. To combat this, I did two things: bought the AirSafe air hitch to reduce the tow-vehicle jerking of the trailer, and inserted DynaBeads in the tires to balance the rotating hub/brake/tire combinations. I believe it all worked. Ask me again in another 10 years for a longer-term report. So far, I've noticed the improvements mentioned in my earlier post.

About the weight-distribution bars, I backed them off a notch or two, since I found the hitch operates a lot better without a lot of interference. Since my tow vehicle has a heavy and stiff truck suspension which is much heavier than needed for my trailer, I was able to do these ride-quality adjustments without problems. As with any type of new equipment combination, it takes a bit of experimentation to tweak it just the way you like it.

The up-and-down motion of the trailer that I mentioned seeing in my rear-view mirror is just the trailer floating on its torsion-bar axles like the manufacturer designed it to do. The AirSafe hitch allows it to flex naturally without being hindered and jerked around by the harsh F250 truck. There is no sense of being spongy or of porpoising at all. In fact, it just seems so natural when properly set up. Although I hate them, the rough sections of Interstate highways seem so much easier to roll over now with my accommodating setup.

My torsion bar axles are in excellent, like-new shape.

Take a look at this site:
http://www.airsafehitches.com/index.html

The representations there will provide illustrative examples of what I am talking about. Horse and cattle haulers love the hitch once they experience it. Their animals must love it more, but only a horse wisperer would know for sure.

BillTex · 03-09-2008, 06:09 PM

Very interesting AS67.

I could not use this with my Equalizer though...what WD hitch do you use with airSafe?

Thanx, Bill

Tinsel Loaf · 03-09-2008, 07:14 PM

I use the reese equalizer along with the commercial air-hitch and centramatic wheel balancers. Very smooth tow. Why not try the Air hitch. Wen I bought mine there was a thirty day trial and if you did'nt like it they would take it back and return your money. Just like Hensley does. If you have the bucks to try them you have nothing to loose. So order one, than the other and give them a try.

Airstreamer67 · 03-10-2008, 07:03 AM

BillTex, I'm not sure about your queston on my hitch. I consider the AirSafe itself to be my hitch. To that, I attach what I might term a mount, perhaps made by Husky (it's not identified on the mount itself) that has holes for the shanks of the 2 5/8-inch ball, two small anti-sway friction-bar balls, and, underneath, two round 800-pound weight-transfer bars. AirSafe sells the bracket to attach this mount, and also can provide mounts which do not incorporate weight transfer bars, which many heavy rig and lighter trailer combinations do not really need.

BillTex · 03-10-2008, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airstreamer67

BillTex, I'm not sure about your queston on my hitch. I consider the AirSafe itself to be my hitch. To that, I attach what I might term a mount, perhaps made by Husky (it's not identified on the mount itself) that has holes for the shanks of the 2 5/8-inch ball, two small anti-sway friction-bar balls, and, underneath, two round 800-pound weight-transfer bars. AirSafe sells the bracket to attach this mount, and also can provide mounts which do not incorporate weight transfer bars, which many heavy rig and lighter trailer combinations do not really need.

That's what I was looking for (Husky)...

Thanks, Bill

ESCAPE POD · 03-10-2008, 09:01 AM

My rig (see signature) has an Equalizer WD hitch, which is essential in keeping the TV level. What combinations have worked with an Airsafe hitch that still allow for WD bars? Or are they incompatible?

2airishuman · 03-10-2008, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marta5

... help figuring out why we experience rocking and bucking while towing over your average bumps on the road...We are completely new to the world of towing, and wonder if this is a matter of trial, error and adjustment...

hi marta' and 'pod

yep, errors and trials are part of the process...

along with adjustments, that may help or make it worse

the few questions, apart from setting up the rig properly, are...

-does your truck 'buck' on the same road without the trailer?

-are folks in front of you also 'bucking'

-does slowing down or speeding up help?

my first towing experience almost resulted in returning the trailer and selling the truck...

then i figured out the 15 miles of roadway on either side of the dealer were at fault!

so once you've learned how to dial in the rig and travel some it will become more obvious if the roads are to blame.

and nothing really helps that part, except slowing down or changing lanes.

porpoising is something most of us experience occasionally and it is related to road/wheel base issues...

neither can be altered easily.

search using the term porpoising and some good stuff will bounce UP....

here is some...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/25910-post10.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/164954-post34.html

there are many other long threads that include tidbits about this issue.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f238...html#post25910

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f464...tion-5384.html

also we've covered the air bag hitch apparatus in some detail, but that may not be useful at all with your 1/2 ton...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f464...tch-36522.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f238...read-3634.html

except that the added length alters the wheelbase/road surface equation.

lets hope towing dread doesn't become the norm....

cheers
2air'

SteveH · 03-11-2008, 06:09 AM

Years ago when our son was a young boy, we took a trip to Disney World in Florida driving a '87 Dodge Ramcharger pulling a 24' Argosy. We drove IH10 basically from San Antonio to Northern Florida, and from about the Texas/Louisiana state line till we turned South in Florida, the highway was concrete with expansion joints, causing the tow vehicle/trailer combo to buck unmercifully. During those four days of driving that highway I tried different hitch settings, different tire pressures, and different driving speeds, all with no help. It was a miserable trip. Personally, I think it was mostly caused by the short wheelbase of the Dodge Ramcharger.

I'm not proud of what I did, but the only thing I could do to reduce the bucking was to drive with the curb side wheels off the pavement on the paved shoulder, where there were no expansion joints. It took major concentration to hold the outfit that exact on the road (within about one foot left or right), but it seemed at the time the only way we would survive the trip.
Sometimes you gotta do what ya gotta do.

We have since driven a lot of the same road with different tow vehicle/trailer combo, with no problems.

safari 28 · 03-11-2008, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillTex

Interesting...
Is your WD set the same as it was? Maybe I missed it; what type of hitch do you use?

Where were you popping rivets?

Do you pack in the same manner as you previously did inside?

Does all that moving up/down make for spongy/porpoise type of handling?

Is your AS axle/suspension all up to par?

I am trying to understand why this hitch is necassary...it is intriguing.

Thanx, Bill

The hitch is needed because according to Inland Andy most who have a 3/4 ton do not need it for most of the Airstream line. He calls it overrigging. He feels a 1/2 ton is just perfect, and 2 wheel drive is better than 4 wd due to the ability of the weight distribution system being able to transfer weight to the front of the truck.

Try this on your 3/4 ton. Hook up the rig and jump on the rear bumper. I weigh 190 lbs. If you do not feel at least 2- 3 inches of travel then you are putting stress on your castle. Andy says it causes lots of problems from rivets popping to all kinds of interior stress and damage. 1/2 tons set up correctly will have the travel needed and I can feel her giving constantly on bumps. Someone mentioned it is used by horse trailer applications as the 3/4 tons were causing broken legs or some injury / a real problem on fivers as well and they have air hitches on the 5th wheel.